Conventionally, most computational tasks are undertaken upon a client or within a proprietary intranet. For instance, through utilization of a software application resident upon the client, data is created, manipulated, and saved upon a hard drive of the client or on an on-site server. Client-side operating systems are employed to manage relationships between users, software applications, and hardware within a client machine, as well as data that is resident upon a connected intranet.
The conventional computing paradigm is beginning to shift as maintaining security, indexing data, and the like on each client device can be quite expensive. As network connectivity has continued to improve, it has become apparent that a more efficient computing model includes lightweight (e.g., inexpensive, thin) clients that continuously communicate with third-party computing devices to achieve substantially similar end results when compared to the conventional computing paradigm. In accordance with this architecture, the third-party can provide a ‘cloud’ of devices and services, such that requests by several clients can simultaneously be serviced within the cloud without the user noticing any degradation in computing performance.
One area of particular interest is how to ensure adherence to license agreements. End user license agreements (EULAs) are often put into place between a software vendor and the end user in order to set the terms and conditions of use. Essentially, the EULA is a legal agreement between the manufacturer and purchaser of software. It is most often either printed on the packaging or displayed on screen at time of installation. In most instances, the latter is a more effective method, because it cannot be avoided. In other words, to use the software, the user clicks “Accept” or “I Agree” to the EULA. Thus, the license stipulates the terms of usage, whether the user reads them or not.
Overall, most EULAs limit the number of concurrent device uses with respect to a single copy of a software program. In some instances, multiple installations are permitted in accordance with the terms of the EULA. However, in either case, conventional licenses are device-centric as they prohibit installations based upon characteristics and number of devices, central procession units, etc. As well, EULAs often disclaim all liabilities for what might happen in the user's computer when the software is running. Many times, the EULA generally does not guarantee anything except that the disk will be replaced if defective. In other words, most EULAs today attempt to control the installation and use of a software application while disclaiming any liability on the part of a software vendor for damage to data, hardware or the like.